To settle down
by RGfI
Summary: Joey, on the most important day of his life. One-shot, based on Joey, but with references to Monica and Chandler, because I can't write anything without references to them, it's a problem really :) Please read and review!


Disclaimer: I do not owe Friends.

Joey grimaced, and felt, for the first time in his life, completely scared.  
>He stared at the piece of paper in his hands; no, there is no way he is going up there with this.<p>

"Hey buddy, what's with you?" His good friend and best-man Chandler asked him, and seemed concerned.

"I'm not gonna go up there and read this; I'll screw up, I'll be too... _Nervous_," Joey muttered and shook his head.

"You're an actor, Joe, reading stuff from a piece of paper in stressful moments is what you _do_," Chandler smiled, patting his shoulder.

"No! This is different, I... I don't know how to explain, it's... It won't be acting now, not _this_ time," he frowned. Before Chandler had a chance to react Joey shook his head. "I'm not going up there. No way in _hell_."

Chandler looked at him, his eyes showed sympathy. "Hey man, there is no single person in the world who knows what you feel right now better than me, okay? Drop the fact that I am the _master_, of fear of commitment, and that I've done it and am happily married for seven years, I... I know you Joey. You _want_ this. You do; you love her," Chandler smiled warmly at his friend, and Joey smiled back with a nervous smile before he frowned again.

"That is what I'm most scared of... I... I don't wanna love her sometimes," Joey admitted.

"Say what?" Chandler stared at him, confused.

"I know it sounds crazy... But it scares me... How I feel about her, it, it scares me," Joey muttered, his eyes wide.

"Joey, what's with you?" Chandler asked him.

"She kicked me out of my safe-zone, I... I never felt this way. After she ignored my_ lame_ pick-up line, she didn't call me, and she agreed to go out with me only after two months. _Two months!_ And..." Joey seemed really nervous. He gazed up at him and Chandler was able to see the insecurity in his eyes. It was weird to see it in Joey's eyes; Joey was the most confident guy Chandler knew; but maybe it was all a part of an act.

"And, once she realized with how many women I dated... God, I didn't want to drop a bomb on her, but it would have scare her away if she had find out sooner!" Joey said, in a bit hoarsely voice.

"I think I know to what you're referring... When you two took some time off each other?" Chandler trailed off.

Joey nodded, painful look on his face. "She broke up with me. She didn't want to date a womanizer; she was right! She didn't deserve that. She is too good for me... And, even now she has a tough time trusting me; she thinks that once I'll loose interest in her -"

In that moment a laughing Monica walked into the room, wearing a purple bridesmaid dress. Once his wife walked in Chandler's face brightened up. "Hey, beautiful," he smiled at his wife.

Monica grinned at him and stepped closer to him as he got up. They kissed and she stayed at his embrace as she turned to Joey. "I just simply love your - umm, _soon-to-be_ wife," she grinned at him, and Joey looked at her, smiling softly.

"Yeah?" He asked, interested to hear further.

"Yeah! She is great, I always thought that... I _knew_ she's a keeper," she said and then an even bigger grin formed on her face. "I'm glad you probably think the same way, since we're _here_ today," she grinned. "She is just a really sweet, nice and smart woman, and she loves you, she truly loves you. She's all - '_Joey did this,_' and '_Joey said that,_'. It's fun to have her around, I'm proud of you for..." She started and then looked at him and smiled. "I'm just _proud_ of you. You've come a long way," she smiled at him and he felt warmth in his chest. He smiled back at Monica and suddenly felt a big urge to see his fiancée.

"Monica!" Phoebe's voice was heard.

"Oh, gotta go," she grinned. She quickly kissed Joey's cheek, ("before you are married, and I'm not allowed to do so," she winked at him,) and then kissed Chandler on the lips and smiled at him, stroking his cheek. Honestly, Joey didn't take a lot from his parents' marriage; it was a weird, unfaithful marriage. No, his example for a good healthy marriage was these two, who celebrated this year 5 years of marriage, 7 years of dating and 20 years of friendship. They also had two incredibly sweet children, the twins Jack and Erica, who grow up into a loving supporting family. As he looked at the loving gazes of those two, he knew it's a bit of everything they are to have a healthy marriage.

Monica went out and Chandler turned back to him, smiling at him. "Listen, I... I can't tell you it's not scary; and I can't tell you that it's always the perfect option; but once you found someone to you are willing to commit to for the long run... You should fight for it, but also enjoy it. Listen, Do you trust her?" Chandler asked him, smiling at him.

"With my life," Joey answered sincerely.

"Then she will trust you as much eventually. Give it some times and enjoy this moment, it's probably the most important gig in your life!" Chandler grinned at him.

"Oh, it's not a gig, this is for real," Joey, who was a bit white, shook his head.

"Hey there, buddy, I have something for you," Chandler grinned. "Okay, let's see," he said and lifted his bag.

"Okay, I have... The rings in here..." Chandler looked in his bag.

"You should give it to Ross! _He_ is in charge of the rings!" Joey's eyes widened.

"Calm down, Joe," Chandler smiled and got up and called Ross, best man number 2. They exchanged a few words before Ross took the rings and Chandler went back to Joey and started to rummage in his bag in search of something. His face brightened up when he found it.

"Great! I was afraid I might have left it at home," Chandler grinned. Joey's eyes widened, and his already stressed stomach started making noises, because Chandler pulled out a wonderfully looking sandwich from his bag. "I also have a mint for you, so when you kiss the bride you'll have a great minty breath," Chandler grinned.

"You're the best best-man ever!" Joey said and snatched the sandwich from Chandler's hand immediately.

Joey ate and Chandler smiled happily when the color returned to Joey's cheek. One of Joey's sisters, Mary Angela, went into the room to call him. When she saw Chandler they both avoided each other's gazes and blushed. "Joey, it's starting. You need to come now," she said to Joey and went out of the room quickly. Joey's eyes widened and he looked at Chandler in horror.

"Hey, hey! Calm down. You'll be fine. You love her, right?" Chandler asked him, and put his hand on Joey's shoulder. Joey slowly nodded, and took a deep breath. He'll be fine. He'll be fine.

He went out of the room and walked slowly down the aisle, with his parents, the people around him looked like a big blur. He stood near the priest and waited. Monica and Chandler walked towards him, hand in hand, then Ross and Rachel, then Phoebe and the maid of honor.

His fiancée is about to come now.

This is it.

As she walked towards him, down the aisle, in a simple white dress, Joey's breath was caught in his throat - she looked beautiful. The most beautiful woman in the world. And the woman who knows him, and gets him, and loves him. The one he is willing to give his life to. With her, he is finally ready to settle down.

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><p><strong>Hey!<strong>

**First of all, let me just tell you that this is not based on any series. I didn't watch "Joey" (accept maybe the first episode), so I don't really know if Joey has settled down there. This story is based on Friends and on my vivid imagination.**

**I wrote it because I simply love Joey. He is a sweet, faithfull man, and a great friend. I want him to settle down and grow up, so this is how I picture it. Maybe it's just me though :)**

**Let me know what you think, I would love to hear your comments!**

**Thank you for reading!**

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><p><strong>I wanna thank everyone who reviewed Everyone should know, I really appreciate it. Since I won't be continuing it (maybe in the future, not now at least), I'll thank the reviewers here.<strong>

**Phoebe- Thank you! thank you so much for reviewing to all my stories and, well, for reviewing to Everyone should know three times :) It was really sweet of you, and I wanna apologize; I wasn't near a computer so I wasn't able to approve your reviews, and that is probably the reason why it didn't appeared. Thank you, though, it made me feel so good how much it is important to you that I'll read the review. I really appreciate you as a reviewer, so thank you! :)**

**guest- Thank you! I gotta say, I really count on your reviews sometimes, you always give great, honest reviews :) I'm glad you liked Everyone should know.**

**Mondler2014- It is funny! I just simply love this episode, you can definitely say I watched it a lot. Thank you for reviewing to all my stories, I really appreciate it :)**

**hugefriendsfan00- Thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and I always liked Chandler's POV :)**

**starbuckmeggie- I agree. And thank you for reviewing, I really like your stories :)**

**NymphadoraTonks-RemusLupin- Thank you! It is a great episode, and I'm glad you liked it.**


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